San Francisco Zoo
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| San Francisco Zoo | |
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| Date opened | 1929 |
| Location | San Francisco, California United States |
| Land area | 0.51 k² (125 acres; 51 ha) |
| Coordinates | |
| Number of Animals | more than 930 [1] |
| Number of Species | 250 |
| Accreditations/ Memberships |
AZA |
| Website | |
The San Francisco Zoo (formerly Fleishhacker Zoo) is a zoo in San Francisco, California, housing more than 250 different animal species. It is located in the southwestern corner of the city, between the Great Highway and Lake Merced. The main entrance, once located on the north side across the street from the defunct Doggie Diner, has been moved to the west side of the zoo along the Great Highway and the Pacific Ocean. The western terminus of the L Taraval Muni Metro line is one block to the north of the zoo.
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[edit] History
[edit] Beginnings
The San Francisco Zoo was founded by banker and San Francisco Parks Commission president Herbert Fleishhacker[when?]. Fleishhacker began planning for construction on a selected site in the southwest corner of San Francisco, adjacent to the Fleishhacker Pool, once the largest swimming pool in the United States. The area was also already home to a children’s playground, an original Michael Dentzel carousel, and the Mother’s Building, a haven for women and their children. Most of the exhibits were populated with animals transferred from Golden Gate Park, including two zebras, a cape buffalo, five rhesus monkeys, two spider monkeys, and three elephants (Virginia, Marjory, and Babe).
[edit] Growth
The first exhibits built in the 1930s cost US$3.5 million, which included Monkey Island, Lion House, Elephant House, a sea lion pool, an aviary and bear grottos. These spacious, moated enclosures were among the first bar-less exhibits in the country.
Over the next 40 years, the Zoological Society became a powerful fundraising source for the San Francisco Zoo, just as Fleishhacker had hoped when he envisioned: "…a Zoological Society similar to those established in other large cities. The Zoological Society will aid the Parks Commission in the acquisition of rare animals and in the operation of the zoo."[citation needed] True to its charter, the Society immediately exerted its influence on the zoo, obtaining more than 1,300 annual memberships in its first 10 years (nearly 25,000 today). It also funded projects like the renovation of the Children’s Zoo in 1964, development of the African Scene in 1967, the purchase of medical equipment for the new zoo Hospital in 1975, and the establishment of the Avian Conservation Center in 1978.
[edit] Present day
In November 2004, Tinkerbelle, San Francisco Zoo's last Asian elephant, was moved to a sanctuary (PAWS-Performing Animal Welfare Society) in the Sierra. Lulu, an African elephant, joined her there in March 2005, so no elephants are on display at the zoo. The moves followed the highly publicized deaths of 38-year-old Calle in March 2004 and 43-year-old Maybelle in April 2004.[1]
The San Francisco Zoo is the largest and oldest zoo in northern California.
- Recent exhibit renovations
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In early 2006, the SF Zoo announced its offer to name a soon-to-hatch American bald eagle after comedian Stephen Colbert. [2] The publicity and goodwill garnered from coverage of the event on the Colbert Report was a windfall for the zoo and the city of San Francisco. Stephen Jr. was born on April 17, 2006.
[edit] Safety
[edit] Tiger attacks
On December 22, 2006, a 242-pound Siberian tiger named Tatiana attacked zookeeper Lori Komejan (who can be seen in episode 12 of the Discovery Channel television show Dirty Jobs) during a feeding. The keeper's limbs were lacerated and she was hospitalized for several weeks, after which the Lion House was closed for 10 months. California's Division of Occupation Safety and Health found the zoo liable for the keeper's injuries, fined the zoo, and ordered safety improvements.[3][4][5][6]
On December 25, 2007, the same tiger escaped from her grotto and attacked three zoo visitors. Carlos Sousa, 17, of San Jose, California was killed at the scene. The tiger was shot and killed by police as she was attacking another victim, who survived. Three other tigers who shared Tatiana's grotto did not escape.[7][8] Tatiana arrived at the San Francisco Zoo from the Denver Zoo in 2005, in hopes that she would mate. [9] The attack is the first visitor fatality due to animal escape at a member zoo in the history of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, according to the association.[10]
[edit] Escape attempt
According to new report, a polar bear and snow leopard came close to escaping their enclosures in the weeks after the Christmas Day tiger attack. Zookeepers have expressed concern regarding the safety of the zoo. However, zoo officials stated that the animals were acting normally and that neither of them posed a threat to zookeepers or the public.[11] The snow leopard, who has not been on public display for months, chewed a hole in the netting in its main holding pen, however the leopard was double caged and keepers responded before any further threat was posed.
[edit] Projects
The San Francisco Zoo participates in Species Survival Plans, conservation programs sponsored by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. "The Species Survival Plan program began in 1981 as a cooperative population management and conservation program for selected species in zoos and aquariums in North America. Each SSP manages the breeding of a species in order to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable." [12] The zoo participates in more than 30 SSP programs, working to conserve species ranging from Madagascan radiated tortoises and reticulated giraffes to black rhinos and gorillas. [13] Also, four members of the zoo's animal care staff serve as coordinators for national population management plans, acting as genetic advisors in the reproduction and conservation of species including marbled teal (an endangered eastern European duck), caracal (an African wild cat), Eurasian eagle owl (the world's largest owl species), and the native San Francisco garter snake (a critically endangered species).
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Patricia Yollin. "Zoo to send 2 elephants to sanctuaries; Director defies recommendation to ship pachyderms to other zoos", The San Francisco Chronicle, 2005-03-04. Retrieved on 2006-12-27.
- ^ Leah Garchik. "Leah Garchik", The San Francisco Chronicle, 2006-03-31. Retrieved on 2006-12-27.
- ^ Carolyn Marshall. "Tiger kills 1 after escaping at San Francisco Zoo", The International Herald Tribune, 2007-12-26. Retrieved on 2007-12-26.
- ^ Michael Taylor, Patricia Yollin. "Zoo keeper hurt in tiger attack", San Francisco Chronicle, 2006-12-23. Retrieved on 2007-12-26.
- ^ none. "Escaped tiger shot after killing zoo visitor, injuring 2 others", CNN, 2007-12-25. Retrieved on 2007-12-25.
- ^ Patricia Yollin. "Zoo reopens Lion House for public feedings 10 months after mauling", San Francisco Chronicle, 2007-09-07. Retrieved on 2007-12-25.
- ^ RonRuegg. "Escaped tiger shot after killing zoo visitor, injuring 2 others", CNN/Other, 2007-12-25. Retrieved on 2007-12-25.
- ^ Glenn Chapman. "Escaped tiger kills one, injures two at San Francisco zoo", AFP, 2007-12-26. Retrieved on 2007-12-26.
- ^ Associated Press: news.aol.com retrieved 12-27-2007
- ^ "California teen named as victim of tiger mauling", CNN, 2007-12-26. Retrieved on 2007-12-26.
- ^ Zoo safety questioned again after near-escapes of snow leopard and polar bear. San Francisco Chronicle Retrieved on January 11, 2008.
- ^ Association of Zoos and Aquariums
- ^ http://www.sfzoo.org/conservation/azalist.htm
[edit] External links
- San Francisco Zoo Official website
- San Francisco Zoo Aerial view at Google Maps
- San Francisco Zoo Aerial view at Microsoft Terraserver
- San Francisco Zoo Podcasts
- San Francisco Zoo Twitter
- American Zoo and Aquarium Association
- PAWS (Performing Animal Welfare Society) Elephant Sanctuary
- Citizens Lobbying for Animals in Zoos, San Francisco
- SFZOOO.ORG - a parody site launched by Citizens Lobbying for Animals in Zoos on April 1st 2008
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